Scunthorpe United FC

United made two changes going into the game. Dion Sembie-Ferris dropped out of the squad and Tom Pugh to the bench, with recent signing Richie Bennett coming into the squad and making his Iron debut. Loanee Billy Fewster came into the starting lineup as well.

United started the brightest and they created the first opportunity of the game. The ball found its way into the Eastleigh penalty area and Jacob Butterfield took control of it and looked to get a shot off. He struck it from a very tight angle, and it seemed to be going on target. However, a defender managed to get a touch on the shot to divert it away from the target. It was an early warning sign for the visitors.

The away side got their first chance a few minutes later. Kairo Mitchell was laid off on the edge of the Iron area by a teammate. He had time to line up a shot and chose where he was going to place the ball. He took the shot on but his effort was wayward and it flew high and wide of the target.

It was a quick start to the game for both teams and it was an end-to-end first ten minutes.

Charlie Carter was the next Eastleigh player to have an attempt on goal. The ball bounced up on the edge of the home side’s area and this invited Carter to take his shot on the half volley. He chose to go for power over precision and he dragged his effort wide.

The visitors earnt themselves a penalty in the 20th minute. Danny Whitehall was tripped up by Fewster inside the area. Whitehall stepped up and took the responsibility; he calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner. Aaron Chapman dived the wrong way and the visitors found themselves one goal up.

In the 24th minute, Danny Elliott tried to put the Iron on level terms. He cut inside from the left-hand flank and unleashed a right footed effort. His idea was to direct the ball into the top corner but he couldn’t execute it and the ball blazed over the bar.

On 38 minutes, Eastleigh created another good opportunity and nearly put themselves two goals in front. Alfie Lloyd drove at the heart of the Iron defence and he managed to beat several players before getting a shot away. He drove his shot along the ground and Chapman had to adjust to make an important save with his leg.

Alfie Beestin had to leave the field after he picked up an injury later in the first half; Pugh was the man who replaced him.

United put some early pressure on the visitors as they looked to grab an early goal in the second half. Bennett was the first player to test his luck on goal. A good bit of skill from Fewster opened up space on the edge of the area and he found Bennett with a pass. The debutant cut onto his left foot and unleashed a shot from distance. It was heading into the top corner but Joe McDonnell got across his goal quickly and made what turned out to be a simple save in the end.

The visitors found themselves down to ten men a few minutes later. An off the ball altercation between Kairo Mitchell and Harvey Bunker left the Iron midfielder on the floor and holding his head. The referee saw the incident and decided to immediately show the red card to Mitchell.

United looked to take advantage of the situation and they tried to create chances. Elliott attempted to find an Iron player in the Eastleigh penalty area but no one could get on the end of his cross.

Substitute Pugh was presented with United’s best opportunity of the game up to that stage minutes later. Bennett found himself just inside the 18-yard-box with the ball and he attracted many players towards him. This opened up space for Pugh. The Iron striker lifted the ball over the defenders and Pugh tried to strike the ball on the volley. From 16-yards-out he should have blasted the ball into the bottom corner but his effort was off target and it went wide.

Cameron Wilson was soon brought on for Elliott. In the 67th minute, Michael Kelly tried to curl an effort into the top corner of Chapman’s goal. He had time and space on the edge of the Iron area and his left footed effort narrowly drifted over the crossbar.

Liam Feeney was the next Iron substitute, on for Fewster, and he looked to make an instant impact on the game. He picked out Bennett with a pinpoint cross. The Iron number 49 got his head to the ball and directed it goalward but the effort had no power and McDonnell claimed it easily.

Scunthorpe continued to pile pressure on the away side but they coped well defensively.

Leake earnt the Iron a corner late on in the game and this further piled the pressure on the away side. The ball was whipped into the penalty area and Ben Richards-Everton was the player who rose the highest and got his head to the ball first. He directed his header down into the ground and it was heading straight into the back of the net. However, there were several Eastleigh players on the line and they managed to scramble the ball away to safety.

Richards-Everton was involved in another big moment in the game just a few minutes later. He was taken down inside the penalty area and there were many shouts for a penalty. The referee saw the incident differently to the rest of Glanford Park and he gave the decision against the Iron.

Feeney almost grabbed the equaliser in added time after Leake crossed the ball into him. He directed his header towards the bottom corner but it didn’t have enough power and once again it was an easy save for McDonnell.

Pugh was the next Iron player to try their luck. He had time and space and he chose to take the shot from 20-yards-out. McDonnell got down to his left to deny Pugh’s shot going into the bottom corner. It was a very important save to make. That concluded the game and Eastleigh took the three points.

IRON: Chapman, Ogle, Elliott (Wilson, 61), Beestin (Pugh, 45), Richards-Everton, Butterfield, Fewster (Feeney, 71), Leake, Bunker, Smith, Bennett.

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Boyce, Shrimpton.

EASTLEIGH: McDonnell, Camp, Kelly, Martin, Carter, Cisse, Whitehall (Scrimshaw, 71), Langston, Mitchell, Rutherford, Lloyd

EASTLEIGH SUBS NOT USED: Maghoma, Flitney, Tshaka, Bragg.

ATTENDANCE: 3,237 (45 away).